What Happened to Sarah Michelle Gellar?

Sarah Michelle Gellar, born April 14, 1977, rose to prominence in the 1990s, first gaining recognition for her Daytime Emmy-winning role as Kendall Hart on the soap opera 'All My Children' (1993–1995). Her career truly skyrocketed with her iconic portrayal of Buffy Summers in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (1997–2003), a role that cemented her status as a pop culture phenomenon and earned her a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe nomination.

Following her success on television, Gellar transitioned to film, starring in popular movies such as 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' (1997), 'Scream 2' (1997), 'Cruel Intentions' (1999), and the 'Scooby-Doo' franchise (2002, 2004). After 'Buffy' concluded, she continued to work steadily, but around 2014, Gellar consciously stepped back from the intense demands of Hollywood to prioritize her family, particularly after the death of her 'The Crazy Ones' co-star Robin Williams. During this period, she focused on raising her two children, Charlotte (born 2009) and Rocky (born 2012), with husband Freddie Prinze Jr., whom she married in 2002.

Beyond acting, Gellar ventured into entrepreneurship, co-founding the organic baking company Foodstirs in 2015 and publishing a cookbook, 'Stirring Up Fun with Food,' in 2017. Foodstirs, however, ceased operations around 2021 or 2022. She also engaged in various brand partnerships, including campaigns for meningitis awareness with GSK and travel promotions with Trainline.

In recent years, Gellar has made a significant return to the screen, expressing in a January 2026 podcast appearance that she's getting her 'sea legs back' as her children are older. Her recent projects include a recurring role as a forensics expert in the Paramount+ prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin' (2024–2025) and a cameo as Helen Shivers in the 2025 sequel to 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' She also served as a guest judge on 'RuPaul's Drag Race' (2024) and 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' (2025).

As of early 2026, Gellar has taken on a prominent role as a main judge on the Netflix revival of 'Star Search,' which premiered on January 20, 2026. She is also set to appear in the horror sequel 'Ready or Not 2: Here I Come' and provide voice work for the adult animated series 'Breaking Bear.' Additionally, in April 2025, it was announced she would star in and executive-produce the series 'Bad Summer People,' currently in development.

A major development in March 2026 saw the cancellation of the highly anticipated 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale' sequel series by Hulu. Gellar, who was attached to reprise her role as Buffy Summers and executive produce, confirmed the news on Instagram, expressing her sadness but also gratitude for the opportunity to revisit the character. Despite this setback, Gellar remains an active and influential figure in entertainment, continuing to balance her career with her family life, which she and her husband maintain with strict boundaries for their children, including no social media.